1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a transient suppression component, and in particular to a transient suppression component for use in an electrical connector.
2. Description of Related Art
It has previously been proposed to place diodes and other nuclear electromagnetic pulse (EMP) or transient voltage suppression (TVS) electrical components on electrical contacts for the purpose of facilitating their use in miniature electrical connectors. Examples are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,741,710, 4,746,310, and 4,747,789. Present technology, exemplified by the connectors shown in these patents, requires that the component be mounted on the contact by the connector assembler rather than by the component manufacturer, which generally requires notching or recessing the contact in order to accommodate the component. The notching process is difficult and tends to degrade both the mechanical and the electrical properties of the contact. In addition, the retrofitting process required to adapt standard contacts for carrying an electrical component is inherently inefficient.
Prior to insertion of the contact into the connector, the assembler must handle the component, complete the attachement of the component to the contact, and perform screen testing on the contact assembly which is over and above the screening performed by the component manufacturer. Such redundant testing is inefficient, as is the need to handle the component by both the manufacturer of the component and the connector assembler.
Assembly of the EMP or TVS component to the contact would best be handled by the manufacturer of the component, using state-of-the-art component electrode-to-metal joining technology not generally required in connector assembly plants. At present, however, this is not possible because conventional TVS connector designs provide only for retrofitting of the component onto the contact. In other words, at present it is necessary to first provide a contact designed and manufactured for a particular application, and then to add the electronic component.
In addition, present connector applications do not permit the use of higher power diodes because the center-to-center spacing of contacts in such connectors limits the use of conventional leaded diodes. Conventional leaded diode chips are mounted so that the surfaces of the silicon chip are perpendicular to the leads. Consequently, when higher power diodes are needed, the silicon diameter becomes larger than the contact spacing.